إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِىٓ أَعْنَـٰقِهِمْ أَغْلَـٰلًا فَهِىَ إِلَى ٱلْأَذْقَانِ فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ 8
Translations
Indeed, We have put shackles on their necks, and they are to their chins, so they are with heads [kept] aloft.
Transliteration
Inna ja'alna fee a'naqihim aghlaalan fahiya ilal-adhqani fahum muqmahun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Allah has placed chains (aghläl) around the necks of the disbelievers that reach up to their chins, forcing their heads upward in a posture of rigidity and helplessness. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as a metaphorical description of the spiritual and psychological bondage of those who reject faith—their hearts are sealed and their minds are constrained from accepting truth. The phrase 'muqmahun' (with raised chins) emphasizes their arrogant yet futile resistance, unable to look downward in humility or submission to Allah's signs.
Revelation Context
Surah Ya-Sin is a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of Islamic preaching when the Quraysh obstinately rejected the Message. This ayah occurs within a passage describing the fate of those who deny the resurrection and reject the prophets, reflecting the broader Meccan theme of warning disbelievers about the consequences of their persistent denial and spiritual blindness.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (2644) from Abu Hurayrah describes the sealing of hearts: 'When the slave of Allah commits a sin, a black spot appears upon his heart.' This relates to the spiritual imprisonment described in 36:8, where rejection of faith creates layers of spiritual bondage that prevent perception of truth.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that persistent rejection of divine truth creates self-imposed spiritual chains that blind the heart and mind from guidance. For believers, it serves as a warning against arrogance and complacency, encouraging constant humility, openness to Allah's signs, and reflection upon the ease with which one's heart can become hardened without conscious effort to remain connected to faith.